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Some
enchanted evening, under a star-studded and moonlit August sky,
a very rare musical event took place that had never happened
before and would not occur again. Jim Reeves, the ex-baseball player-turned-disc
jockey and then worldwide singing star, donned a tuxedo to join
a group of 56 musicians from the Nashville Symphony Orchestra
for an outdoor concert in Centennial Park. There, near a replica
of the Parthenon from ancient Greece, the sizeable audience sat
on folding chairs, picnic blankets, even car hoods. Jim's wife,
Mary, was present, along with his favorite songwriter, Cindy
Walker. With the release of THE UNFORGETTABLE JIM REEVES -
LIVE, VoiceMasters exclusively premiers this long talked-about
but never-before-heard concert from August 16, 1961.
If
live albums are the true test of any singer, no matter what the
genre, then Jim Reeves passes with flying colors! The richness of Jim's trademark velvet
voice that comes through in his studio recordings is even more
amply demonstrated in these live settings, with audio so clear and rich, you can even hear
the crickets chirp in the background! Close your eyes, and you'll
think Jim Reeves has come back to life and is standing there
right in front of you. It is simply superb.
Besides
singing classics like "Danny Boy," Jim offers us LIVE performances
of three songs for which no other live recordings are known to
exist: Cindy Walker's beautiful "I Was
Just Walking Out the Door," "A Room Full of Roses" and "The
Streets of Laredo."
He also does a very pretty rendition of his signature song, "He'll
Have to Go,"
with a fresh orchestral arrangement. and string section!
Also
presented on this CD is the famous live concert done in Oslo,
Norway on April 15, 1964. The audio track from this televised
event has been expertly remastered for crisp and beautiful sound. It will astonish
you. Jim and the Blue Boys run through a list of his favorite
songs, from "I Love You Because" to "Bimbo," "Four
Walls" and "Blue Canadian Rockies," "Yonder
Comes A Sucker" and "Adios Amigo." The sound will make this
concert come alive for you.
The
bonus tracks on this VoiceMasters CD are REALLY unique -- including
the song "I'm
A Hit Again,"
which Jim recorded shortly before his untimely death. No song in the Reeves
repertoire has been more speculated about or searched for than
this one, and the debate has raged for years as to whether or
not it even existed! VoiceMasters has done the seemingly impossible
by unearthing this long-buried gem.
Also
included are other UNRELEASED songs, including two rockabilly
numbers, "Something
to Rock About"
and "Step Aside Shallow Water," which are different
than anything Jim has done before. To complete the package, we
offer another new one from Jim, an ethereal "There's A Light
Shining Through," from which Mary drew strength and encouragement
following Jim's loss.
If
you thought Jim was good before, you'll think you underestimated
him after you listen to these live concert performances. This CD will be a
true keepsake for you and your family to enjoy for years to come!
Audio clips courtesy
of VoiceMasters, LLC. Copyright 2003 by VoiceMasters, LLC. All
worldwide rights reserved.
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to hear the song sample files).